Many people associate the history of the Native American people as one of turmoil, upheaval, and brutality as devasting events such as the Trail of Tears, cultural appropriation, disease, and colonialization wiped out hundreds upon hundreds of Native Americans while removing them from their lands and placing them on reservations. Still, to this day, many Native Populations are either slowly withering and deteriorating away if they have not been completely wiped out already, while very few are thriving on reservation around North America. However, this past and rich history of tradition and turmoil create inspiration for what has become one of the most inspired genres of theatre and drama. The dramatic differences between not only Whites and Native Americans, but the differences between the many different Native American cultures helps to create dramatic events that occur in different forms and serve various purposes. Native American artists tend to display their involvement int heir various Native communities and culture through the dramatic work that they create. The main inspiration for many of these Native works derives from Native religions, which although different, draw on the most fundamental aspects of the Native American culture. This belief reaffirms harmony, unity, and sacredness. Native American dramas also use the concepts of nonlinear time and dimensionless sacred place. Without the concepts of dimensionless sacred places and nonlinear time, the Native drama would cease to contain its meaning. Not only can Native American Theatre be defined by the people, inspiration, and style in which it is written, the Native drama also describes through its actors, setting, plot, dialogue, gestures, costumes, and movements. Through the combination of all of these various aspects, a unique play is created that is specific to the Native culture and informative to theatre-goers. One specific type of Native theatre is the Navajo Chantways. Navajo Chantways are epic and beautiful religious ritual drams that are performed by the Navajo people. These Chantways are important due to their reference to the creation or recreation of the universe as viewed and understood by the Navajo People. This form of theatre is rooted in the communal celebration of events and the ancient rituals practiced by Native Peoples. The genre is charged with the cosmic significance that sets it apart from all other theatrical genres. Audience participation is yet another distinctive factor in Native American plays. The difficulties suffered by Native American theatre stem from a lack of literary plays writtern by Native Americans. Many of these plays have been lost in time, and their omussion is still felt today. However, the Native American playwrigths that do create their own dramas do so with passion and dillegance in order to educate non-native populations in a way that may benefit the theatre and the Native American culture in the long run.
Many people associate the history of the Native American people as one of turmoil, upheaval, and brutality as devasting events such as the Trail of Tears, cultural appropriation, disease, and colonialization wiped out hundreds upon hundreds of Native Americans while removing them from their lands and placing them on reservations. Still, to this day, many Native Populations are either slowly withering and deteriorating away if they have not been completely wiped out already, while very few are thriving on reservation around North America. However, this past and rich history of tradition and turmoil create inspiration for what has become one of the most inspired genres of theatre and drama. The dramatic differences between not only Whites and Native Americans, but the differences between the many different Native American cultures helps to create dramatic events that occur in different forms and serve various purposes. Native American artists tend to display their involvement int heir various Native communities and culture through the dramatic work that they create. The main inspiration for many of these Native works derives from Native religions, which although different, draw on the most fundamental aspects of the Native American culture. This belief reaffirms harmony, unity, and sacredness. Native American dramas also use the concepts of nonlinear time and dimensionless sacred place. Without the concepts of dimensionless sacred places and nonlinear time, the Native drama would cease to contain its meaning. Not only can Native American Theatre be defined by the people, inspiration, and style in which it is written, the Native drama also describes through its actors, setting, plot, dialogue, gestures, costumes, and movements. Through the combination of all of these various aspects, a unique play is created that is specific to the Native culture and informative to theatre-goers. One specific type of Native theatre is the Navajo Chantways. Navajo Chantways are epic and beautiful religious ritual drams that are performed by the Navajo people. These Chantways are important due to their reference to the creation or recreation of the universe as viewed and understood by the Navajo People. This form of theatre is rooted in the communal celebration of events and the ancient rituals practiced by Native Peoples. The genre is charged with the cosmic significance that sets it apart from all other theatrical genres. Audience participation is yet another distinctive factor in Native American plays. The difficulties suffered by Native American theatre stem from a lack of literary plays writtern by Native Americans. Many of these plays have been lost in time, and their omussion is still felt today. However, the Native American playwrigths that do create their own dramas do so with passion and dillegance in order to educate non-native populations in a way that may benefit the theatre and the Native American culture in the long run.